Method and apparatus for fastening a friaction wear pad to a disk core member

ABSTRACT

A friction pad configuration and a method and apparatus for fastening said pads to a disk core member wherein the base of the pad is formed with a plurality of extended tabs that are inserted in slots in the core and secured to the tabs of a pad on the opposite surface of the core by a clip that draws the base-to-base mounted pads together on the core. Alternatively, and for mounting on a single face surface of the core, U-clips are mounted on the tabs and inserted through the core to the opposite surface therof and the ends of the U-clips are bent down into annular grooves in the face surface of the core to securely mount the pads to the core.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to disk brakes, clutches and the like,and more particularly to a friction wear pad configuration and themethod and means for fastening said wear pads to one or more faces of adisk core member. The pads are generally in the form of cups havingfriction material embedded therein which may be any of the well knownmetallic friction lining materials including sintered frictionmaterials.

Heretofore, attachment of friction wear pads to a core member involvedvarious type fasteners including snap-type fasteners, rivets, force-fitfasteners and the like. Other type fastening techniques included spotwelding and resistance and/or projection welding techniques.Descriptions and details of these prior art devices and techniques maybe had in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,076,106; 3,724,614; 3,710,914;3,913,716; and 3,982,612. While for some applications the devices and/ortechniques of the prior art will work satisfactorily, they are notsufficient or adequate for easy replacement of the pads on the coremember when such replacement involves a field-type or retro-fitoperation. In this respect, therefore, the instant invention provides apad configuration and a fastening method and means that obviates therequirement for sophisticated apparatus and/or welding equipment forfield removal and attachment of the friction pads.

The invention, therefore, provides a friction component for brakes,clutches and the like wherein friction pads having continuous frictionface surfaces and flat base surfaces are affixed to a disk core member,which pads provide an increased friction wear surface and an increasedwear depth of friction material.

Further, the invention provides a method and means for attachingfriction wear pads to a disk core member in a force-fit manner usingsimple and available tools for a field retro-fit operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various objects and advantages of the invention are met and accomplishedin a friction pad configuration and a method and means for fastening thepads to either one or both face surfaces of a disk core member whereinthe base of the friction pad is formed with a plurality of extended tabsor tangs that are inserted in slots in the core and secured to the tabsof a friction pad on the opposite surface thereof such as to draw andhold the pads to the core. In an alternative embodiment wherein pads areattached to but a single face surface of the core member, U-clips areattached to the pad tabs and inserted through the core and spread on theopposite side thereof such as to secure the pads to the core.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various objects and advantages of the invention will become evidentfrom the description that follows when considered in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings in the several figures in which like partsbear like reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a friction pad showing the tabconfiguration for mounting of the pad to a disk core member;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a core member having friction padsmounted on opposing faces thereof in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged sectional view as taken on line 3--3 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view as taken in the direction of line 4--4of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a core member having friction wear pads mountedon but one face surface thereof, the view being taken from the back sideof the core with the pads being mounted on the opposite side;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view as taken on lines 6--6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3 illustrating themounting procedure of the friction pads to the core member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a friction wear pad of the type generally mountedon a rotor or stator disk core member is indicated by reference numeral10 and comprises a metal cup-like element 12 having sintered frictionmaterial 14 contained therein. Various combinations of materials may beused for the pad cup and friction material structure and these are allwithin the knowledge of those persons familiar with and skilled in theart. Such materials are outside the scope of this invention andtherefore will not be specifically described. To continue, the view ofFIG. 1 is toward the base portion of the pad 10 which is normally incontact with a disk core member face surface to which it is mounted, andthus the base is a substantially flat surface. It is generally wellknown in the art to provide anti-rotational nibs on the base surface andthese are indicated by reference numeral 16. The nibs 16 are normallyformed from the base material 12 and are intended to engage recesses orapertures in the disk core member. In the process of frictionalengagement of the pad friction surface, the nibs 16 prevent the pad fromrotating on the core member.

Now therefore, and in accordance with this invention, the wear pads 10are provided with mounting tabs or tangs 20 which are also formed fromthe pad base material 12 when the pad is made. The tabs 20 extend fromthe base and at least one such tab 20 is provided facing the outerperiphery 12' of the pad and at least one such tab is provided facingthe inner periphery 12" of the pad. Of course the number and location ofthe tabs will vary depending upon the arc lengths of the outer and innerperipheral edges as these will vary between different size disk coremembers. In some instances a single tab 20 may suffice facing the outeredge 12' while more than a single tab may be required facing the inneredge 12". The invention therefore is not considered limited by thenumber or orientation of the tabs 20.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, a disk core member 18 is shown havingfriction wear pads 10a mounted on one face surface 18a and pads 10bmounted on the opposite face surface 18b thereof. The core member 18 isprovided with slots or recesses 22 in spaced relationship about theinner and outer peripheries of the core such as to receive the tabs 20aand 20b of the pads 10a and 10b respectively. Securing of the pads tothe core member is accomplished by a tubular clip 24 that is driven downover the tab ends 20a and 20b. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the tabs 20 maybe formed from the pad base 12 in an initially angular orientation fromthe base. Thus, when the clip 24 is driven over the tabs 20a and 20b, ittends to force the tabs together with the result being that the pads 10aand 10b are drawn securely to the core 18. When the clip 24 is inposition, the ends of the tabs protrude therefrom and these are thenspread to keep the clip from moving off of the tabs. In this respecttherefore, it is anticipated that a simple tool 26 may be made having adriving surface 26a for engagement with the clip 24 while also having acentrally oriented wedge 28 formed as part of the tool so as tosimultaneously spread the tab ends 20a' and 20b' when the clip 24 isdriven into position. The result is a locked-on clip 24 as shown in FIG.3.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, an alternate embodiment of the inventionis shown wherein friction wear pads 10 are mounted to but one facesurface of the disk core member. In this embodiment, the core member 30is provided with annular grooves 32 on one face surface 30a and the pads10 being mounted on the opposite face surface 30b thereof. The tabs 20on the base of pad 10 may be seated in mating recesses 34 on the facesurface 30b and are secured therein by brads or U-clips 36. The clips 36are generally of a U-shaped configuration with the bottom of the U-shape36a formed to accept a tab 20 while the arms 36b are driven throughholes 38 provided in the core member in alignment with the grooves 32 onthe opposite face thereof. Thus, upon exiting the surface 30a, the cliparms 36b are spread in the manner of a staple to secure them to thecore.

The advantages of the invention should now be apparent. First, thefriction wear pads 10 may all be identical for either double-sided orsingle-sided core mounting. Second, the wear surface of the pad iscontinuous across the full friction face area having no holes thereinfor insertion of rivets and the like. Third, the useful depth offriction material 14 extends through the thickness of the pad. Fourth,the pads are easily removed from the core member and replaced with newpads without affecting the core structure in any way. Fifth, the coredesign is simplified and may be made by less expensive manufacturingprocesses. Finally, simple tools may be used to mount or demount thepads and this is advantageous in a field-type or retrofit operation.

While the specific embodiments and details thereof are shown for thepurpose of illustrating the invention, it will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A friction component comprising:a disk coremember having arcuate inner and outer peripheral edges and a pluralityof open-end slots formed therein at spaced intervals about the inner andouter peripheral edges thereof, said slots extending radially from saidinner and outer peripheral edges into said core member; a plurality offriction pads mounted on the face surfaces of the disk core member, eachsaid pad having a substantially flat base in intimate contact with therespective face surface of the core member and each said base having aplurality of tabs extending therefrom, the ends of said tabs face onlyin the radial direction of said core member and thereby one of theperipheral edges, said tabs are bent toward the base such that the majorportion of the tab length is substantially parallel to the plane of thebase, the tabs of the pad on one core face abutting the tabs of a pad onthe opposite core face within the slots of the core member, and meansmounted on the tabs in each of said slots to lock the tabs in abuttingrelationship to thus securely mount the friction pads to the coremember, said means being readily accessible from the peripheral edgesthrough said open-ended slots.
 2. The friction component as set forth inclaim 1 wherein at least two of said tabs on each pad are positioned inthe slots about the outer peripheral edge of the core and at least oneof said tabs on each pad is positioned in one of said slots about theinner peripheral edge of the core member.
 3. The friction component asset forth in claim 1 wherein the tabs are formed from the material ofthe base of the pad.
 4. The friction component as set forth in claim 1wherein the means to lock the tabs comprises a tubular metal clip havinga length substantially but not fully that of said tabs such that uponbeing mounted on the tabs the ends protrude therefrom, which ends may bebent to lock the clip on the tabs.
 5. A method of mounting friction wearpads to a circular disk core member having an outer peripheral edge andan inner peripheral edge comprising the steps of:providing open-endedslots within the disk core member at spaced intervals about the innerand outer peripheral edges and extending radially from the inner andouter peripheral edges into said core member; providing a pluralityfriction wear pads for mounting on said core member, each of said padsbeing provided with a base and having a plurality of tabs extendingtherefrom, one series of tabs are formed and spaced for alignment withthe slots in the core member about the outer peripheral edge whileanother series of tabs are formed and spaced for alignment with theslots in the core member about the inner peripheral edge thereof;mounting said plurality of pads on the disk face surfaces such that thetabs are positioned in the core slots, the tabs of said pads on one facesurface abutting the tabs of said pads on the opposite face surface ofthe core member; and locking the abutted tabs together by radiallysliding a clip means into each of said slots and over said abutting tabsto securely fasten the pads to the core member.
 6. The method as setforth in claim 5 wherein said clip means comprises a tubular metal clipthat is slid over two of said abutted tabs within a core slot.
 7. Themethod as set forth in claim 6 further comprising the step of bendingthe ends of said tabs in opposite directions such as to lock the clip onthe tabs.
 8. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein at least two ofsaid tabs on each pad are provided for positioning in the slots aboutthe outer peripheral edge of the core and at least one of said tabs oneach pad is provided for positioning in a slot about the innerperipheral edge of the core.
 9. The method as set forth in claim 5wherein at least two of said tabs on each pad are provided forpositioning in the slots about the inner peripheral edge of the core andat least one of said tabs on each pad is provided for positioning in aslot about the outer peripheral edge of the core.
 10. The method as setforth in claim 5 wherein the tabs are formed from the material of thebase of the friction wear pad.